The DEA has officially recognized a new two-part test for determining whether a substance has an accepted medical use, which was used to determine whether marijuana should be rescheduled.

This acknowledgment was quietly included in a footnote within a recent notice about the scheduling of two synthetic opioids under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

In past scheduling rulings, the government followed a five-part test to evaluate whether a substance met this definition, considering factors such as its chemical composition, health data, and other relevant information. However, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently adopted a more streamlined two-part test while reviewing the proposed rescheduling of marijuana, concluding that cannabis fits under Schedule III.
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Ten days after it opens its doors to everyone 21 and older, the Great Smoky Cannabis Company in Cherokee, North Carolina, continues to see thriving sales without a single reported arrest of patrons or employees.

Located on the tribal land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the store has welcomed thousands of visitors since opening its doors to the public on September 7, offering a wide range of marijuana products to anyone 21 and older, regardless of tribal membership or medical status.

Initial concerns that law enforcement might target customers leaving tribal land with marijuana—since it remains illegal outside of the reservation in North Carolina—have proven unfounded. Despite fears of potential legal complications, local law enforcement has not intervened, and no arrests have been made in connection with purchases from the store. This lack of enforcement has helped contribute to the store’s success and high attendance in the days following its opening.
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Ohio dispensaries have sold over $100 million worth of marijuana since the start of legal recreational marijuana sales on August 6.

According to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC), there has been exactly $103,411,274 in legal marijuana sold between August 6 and September 14. $65,345,620 of these sales were purchased by recreational marijuana consumers, with $38,065,654 sold to licensed medical marijuana patients.

The average price per gram of dried marijuana continues to drop. The price was $8.57 on September 14, compared to $8.95 on September 7 and $9.41 on August 6.
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According to new polling, a strong majority of likely Arkansas voters support significantly expanding the state’s medical marijuana program.

The poll, commissioned by Talk Business & Politics and conducted by Hendrix College, was conducted between September 5 and 6, with a margin of error of +/- 4.6%. All participants were registered to vote and said they were “likely” to vote in the November 5 election.

Issue 3, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024, is supported by 54% of likely voters, with 35.5% opposed, and 10.5% undecided.
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A new WRAL News poll reveals that 70% of North Carolina voters support the legalization of medical marijuana.

The survey, conducted with 771 registered voters, found that support for medical marijuana spans across all demographics, including age, race, income, and political affiliation. Even among voters identifying as very conservative or over the age of 65, a majority expressed support.

Despite such widespread support, North Carolina remains one of just 12 states that haven’t legalized medical marijuana.
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NBA legend and marijuana entrepreneur Carmelo Anthony will be a headline speaker at MJBizCon, the world’s largest cannabis business conference and trade show, this December at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Carmelo Anthony, who played from 2003 to 2022 and is a 10-time NBA All-Star, will discuss his new role at Grand National, a venture he co-founded with Jesse Horton, Brandon Drew and Jordan Pierce to increase diversity and representation in the cannabis industry. Anthony will headline a panel on December 4 titled “Empowerment + Innovation: Reshaping the cannabis landscape while championing diversity and inclusion to propel community and culture forward.”

The discussion will highlight Grand National initiatives to improve community engagement and cultural inclusivity as well as the launch of its first brand, STAYME7O Cannabis.

According to MJBizDaily, the founders of Grand National also will share strategies to promote diversity and inclusion while showcasing real-world examples of how these efforts are creating a more equitable cannabis industry. Marijuana business and public relations expert Zoe Wilder will lead the panel discussion.

You can find the conference schedule and get tickets to MJBizCon by clicking here.

[Editor’s Note: The Marijuana Herald is a media partner for MJBizCon, but we were not paid for this article.]

The number of U.S. senators and representatives sponsoring federal legislation to allow marijuana banking has grown to 167.

Earlier this month Congressmember Betty McCollum (D-MN) joined as a cosponsor in the US House of Representatives for the SAFE (Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act) Banking Act (H.R. 2891), bringing the total number of bipartisan sponsors to 130. Combined with the 37 sponsors for the Senate’s SAFER (Secure and Fair Enforcement Regulation) Banking Act (S.2860), the total number of sponsors supporting marijuana banking stands at 167, significantly more than any other marijuana-related measure.

Both bills would provide explicit federal protections for banks and credit unions that offer financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. The measures would also allow state-legal marijuana businesses to take standard IRS tax deductions. These changes would impact medical marijuana dispensaries in 38 states and recreational marijuana stores in 23 states.
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The results of a new study suggests that more than 5 million Americans undergoing treatment for depression could benefit from psilocybin therapy, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms.”

Dried psilocybin.

The research, published online by the journal Psychedelics, involved scientists from Emory University School of Medicine, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of California-Berkeley.

The study aimed to estimate the demand for psilocybin-assisted therapy (PSIL-AT) for major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). According to the research, between 24% and 62% of patients undergoing treatment for depression could be eligible for psilocybin therapy, depending on the criteria used to evaluate eligibility. This amounts to between 2.2 million and 5.6 million people.
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